1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to shoulder straps for carrying luggage, briefcases, totes, duffels, and the like (hereinafter “bags”), and more particularly to a novel shoulder pad for use with such straps and to a shoulder strap embodying the novel pad.
2. The Related Art
Shoulder straps are widely used with many different types of bags. For the user's comfort, shoulder pads of various constructions and configurations have been provided on the straps. In one such configuration, the pad is generally crescent shaped so as to conform to the natural curvature and slope of the shoulder when in use. When correctly positioned on the shoulder, the convex edge of the shoulder pad faces inward towards the user's neck and the concave edge faces outward towards the arm. It frequently occurs, however, through accident or mistake, that users reverse the orientation of the pad, so that the concave edge faces the neck and the convex edge faces the arm. This results in improper load distribution on the shoulder and increased stress and discomfort to the user.
Another disadvantage of previously known shoulder strap pads is that the surfaces of the pad facing the user's shoulder and neck are covered by high-strength, abrasion-resistant material, such as the ballistic nylon or other materials conventionally used to cover bags. Although desirable for load-support purposes, such materials tend to chafe exposed areas of the user's skin that come into contact with the shoulder pad.
A need exists in the art, therefore, for a shoulder strap pad which overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages of known pads.